Royal face a fierce challenge from Thomians

Royal College, Colombo who suffered three successive defeats in their last three outings will face a fierce challenge from traditional rivals S Thomas’ College, Mount Lavinia in their 50th Guneratne Trophy match at the Royal Sports Complex on July 14 (Saturday).

The formidable Royalists who began the season with seven successive victories and were heading the ‘A’ Division points table suffered two morale-shattering defeats at the hands of Trinity (11-34) and Isipatana (34-22) which saw them being relegated to the third position in the ‘A’ Division League points table and add to their woes were beaten once again by Trinity (36-20) in the Bradby Shield return match at Pallekele eleven days ago.

Royal's lack of fitness and playing of a half fit Arshard Jamaldeen in the pivotal fly half berth were the main reasons for the three defeats suffered by the Reid Avenue school.

In the First Leg of the Bradby Shield match the Trinitians scored thrice in the last 12 minutes to win comfortably while the Isipatanians who were trailing 20-22 crossed the Royal goal line twice during the last five minutes to dash Royal's hopes of retaining the ‘A’ Division League title.

Then in the Bradby return the lads from Reid Avenue were leading 20-19 ten minutes before the final whistle before the Trinitians exposed Royal's lack of fitness to score thrice including an interception off a wayward pass by Arshard Jamaldeen to emerge victorious.

The Thomians who went down fighting to St Joseph's 26-37 and St Peter's by 24-36 in their last two games are a vastly improved side and will go all out to end the seven-year wait by toppling Royal and regain the Michael Guneratne Trophy.

The lads from Mount Lavinia have some fine players such as Chanditha Samarasinghe, No 8 Naheed Jainudeen, full back Devin Jayasinghe, fly half Arthiff Jawarth, winger Danaj de Silva and skipper Randika Peiris who should give of their best on Saturday.

Royal College boast of easily the best set of forwards in the schools rugby scene. Prop Eroshan de Alwis and lock forward Wasim Bawa have been a source of inspiration to their team-mates with their terrific loose play ably supported by Kaveen Perera, Andrew Siriwardena, Shuaib Muthaliph, Yasun Weerasuriya, Lahiru Pavithra and Madusha Kularatne who should once again reign supreme in the loose with a sterling display.